You can’t criticize legacy art without risking that people who identify closely with that art will take it as a personal insult.

People no longer simply understand art or don’t, or are affected by art or not. They throw their identities into it, donate their loyalties with no knowledge, understanding, or ability to justify it.

And with no awareness that this is what they’re doing, or that there are better, healthier, more intelligent ways of thinking about art and artists, of positioning these in the mental landscape, and of living their lives.